Catch Me If You Can: Committed part 2
by ButterflyGirl89
Summary: The long awaited sequel to Committed. Merrit is on the loose and is out to play one final game. The detectives try to find him, playing along with his games, games that put all their lives at the very edge of danger! E/O. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, I'm back!**

**Okay so after a long, long, long time without the internet I'm back. I've got a few stories in the works but all are wrote only on paper so I need to get them typed up on the computer and then I can continue uploading them. **

**I'd just like to say how great it is to be back and I'm hoping to hear from all the amazing people on here who always leave kind and encouraging reviews, you know who you are and I've missed you and look forward to hearing from you again, hopefully.**

**So here is the first chapter of the sequel to Commited, I have posted this chapter before, but for the sake of starting it new I'm going to post it again. **

**Quick recap: In the first story (Committed) Olivia and Elliot had been sent undercover to a mental institute where someone had been drugging and raping the staff there. It turned out Merritt Rook was once again seeing just how much people challenge, or don't challenge authority. **

**After Elliot was drugged, Olivia was forced to go with Merritt to learn the only way to save Elliot's life before the drug he had been given killed him. The situation turned from bad to worse but eventually Merritt was arrested and Olivia was saved as was Elliot. All seemed to be going well again until Merritt had other ideas and wanted one final shot at seeing just how far people will let someone elses authority push them.**

**He's started a bloody game of Cat and Mouse and as the detectives try to track him down they don't realise how much further into danger they are treading, crossing a dangerous line that not all of them might be able to return back over..**

**Disclaimer****: Not mine. **

**Prologue**

_Olivia looked at the clock, it said 3.30am. She wasn't sure what had woken her up but her throat was really dry and her tongue felt like it needed a good shave. She looked over at Elliot who had rolled onto his other side and now lay facing the wall. She gently kissed his neck and inhalled the scent of his shower gel before quietly getting out of bed. She slipped Elliot's boxers on and pulled her NYPD sweater back on._

_She held her stomach as she walked across the dark apartment, it felt a little sore but nothing a few aspirin wouldn't solve. She had lived in the apartment for ten years so she knew where she was going, even in the dark. She would find her way around it blindfolded. As she walked into the kitchen her whole body felt cold as her feet were forced to stand on the icy cold tiles. She grabbed a glass then the aspirin and drank a whole glass full of water as she took the aspirin. _

_She filled it back up with water again then stood looking at the coffee machine as she drank it. The coffee machine was flashing a little red light at her. It suddenly occurred to her it only blinked like that when it had been turned off and then turned back on and needed to be reset. She never ever turned it off and she knew Elliot wouldn't. Her body froze to the spot as she heard footsteps behind her. Footsteps that were too heavy and too clumsy to be Elliot's._

"_Hi Olivia" _

_Olivia spun around, dropping the glass of water. It hit the floor and shattered sending water and shattered glass everywhere. She tried to scream but before she could a hand slapped a cloth over her nose and mouth. Instantly she knew it was soaked with chloroform. She tried to squirm and struggle but the glass on the foor cut her feet and slowly her body began to give in to the drug and become lifeless. Just before everything turned black she looked into the eyes of her attacker…she looked into the cold calculating eyes of Merritt Rook…_

Olivia shot up in bed, her heart pounding and sweat dripping off her body. _It was just a dream, it was just a dream_ she thought to herself. She looked down at Elliot who was lay on his side next to her. She tried to settle her breathing and prayed her pounding heart wouldn't wake him up as she lay down next to him again.

She settled back down, purposely snuggling right up to him. She was thankful when he wrapped his arm around her, gently stroking her soft skin with his thumb, lulling her back off to sleep. _'It was just a dream'_ she told herself out loud before sleep took over her.

- - - - - -

The next day Olivia and Elliot had got up, showered together and left for the SVU and should have arrived early for once, but thanks to road works they ended up being over and hour late so when they did finally arrive neither was in the best of moods.

They both sunk down behind their desks and Fin walked over from the coffee machine with their favorite drinks. He had guessed they were stuck in the traffic he had managed to avoid so had been ready with drinks for them when they got in.

They had all just sat down and began chatting, both Elliot and Olivia forgetting about their hellish journey, when Cragen came out of his office with his _'there's_ _something I need to tell you all'_ look.

"What is it Capt.?" Elliot asked.

"I've just been told that Merritt Rook managed to escape. There was a crash when he was being transported. He was injured but somehow managed to cause the ambulance he was in to crash. Both medics are dead and Rook is nowhere to be seen.." he told them.

They all looked at each other not knowing what to say.

"Until we find him all of you are under protective detail." he said.

"Why all of us?" Fin complained.

"There are no arguments on this one. It's a must. Even I have to have detail on me." Cragen said before glancing at the worried looks on his detectives before he walked back into his office.

"Let the games begin again." Munch said.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review. **

**It's good to be back!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews so far.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, unfortunately for me.**

**Chapter 2**

30 minutes had almost passed since Cragen had informed them all of Merritt's escape and none of them had really spoken about it yet. They all just sat there, lost in their own thoughts and all secretly fearing what Merritt's next move would be and who it would affect and how. They all knew enough to expect the worst. They were all suddenly brought out of their thoughts and daydreams as the phone on Olivia's desk rang. She sat forward and answered it as usual, "Special Victims Unit, Detective Benson speaking,"

She waited for a reply but got none. "Hello," again she waited for a reply. "Is anyone there?"

"Hello Detective I was wondering if you could help me?" An elderly woman's voice spoke.

"Sure how can I help you?" Olivia offered.

By this time she had gained some attention from the others and Elliot especially sat attentively watching her and waiting to see where this call played out. "Mam what's the problem?" she asked more firmly after getting no response from the woman.

"I need to report a crime." the woman said with a hint of frustration.

"Okay then. Can you tell me what the crime is please?" she asked, ready with a pen and some paper to take down any details.

"I think I may have murdered someone Olivia," the woman admitted, however her voice was slowly changing, becoming more and more familiar, "Actually I may have murdered two people." Merritt Rook confessed.

Olivia stood up the instant Merritt stopped his act and quickly indicated to the others to set up a trace. "Where are you?" she asked him, trying to stay calm and not give it away that they were trying to track him down. She pushed a button on the phone to put it on speaker, allowing all the others to hear the conversation.

"Come on Olivia. What would be the fun in me telling you? Oh and for the record your trace won't work. This is what's going to happen," Merritt said matter-of-factly "You're all going to do exactly what I tell you. We're gonna play a little game." Merritt informed them all in a sing-song voice. "In a minute you're going to receive the first piece of the puzzle. If you follow my directions and can work out the clues then eventually you'll find me. If you find me then I'll come with you willingly, no more games." he said.

"Why should we believe you?" she asked him.

"Why shouldn't you?" he asked.

"So where's the first clue?" Olivia asked him impatiently.

"You'll see." Merritt said before the line went dead.

Olivia reluctantly hung up the phone. She looked at Fin just in case but deep down she knew they had no trace. She got her answer when Fin shook his head.

"Okay then so where's the first clue?" Munch asked no one in particular.

"Is there a Detective Benson here?" a quiet but confident voice asked.

They all turned around to see a young boy holding a bunch of flowers. They all looked at one another before all walking over to him. Munch grabbed the small card peeking out from among the flowers.

"What's your name kid?" Elliot asked, sounding like a father interrogating his child after they had missed their curfew.

"Things go over and under me." Munch read aloud, "Charming. What does it mean?"

"The bridge," Fin said.

"Good." Cragen said, his team always amazed him

"Which one?" Munch asked.

"Look lets go with the most obvious," Elliot quickly said, taking charge, "Me and Liv will go to the Brooklyn bridge. You two go to the…" he began.

"Yeah we get it. What are we expecting to find?" Fin asked impatiently.

"With Rook God only knows what." Cragen said.

"Yeah the Capt's right expect the worst." Elliot warned him, not that he really needed to.

"Be careful." Cragen told them all.

Munch and Fin grabbed their coats and were gone in seconds. Elliot threw his coat on, passed Olivia her jacket and they quickly followed after them.

- - - - - -

Fin and Munch had wandered around for ages, accompanied by a few officers but no one had found anything remotely interesting, only evidence of homeless people having spent the night burning fires as well as a few broken beer bottles. Fin held his phone to his ear and waited for Elliot to answer his.

- - - - - -

"Stabler," Elliot answered.

"We got nufin." Fin said sounding incredibly pissed off for having been sent on a wild goose chase. "You find anythin'?" he asked.

"Elliot!" Olivia yelled from somewhere.

"Hold on," Elliot told Fin as he ran over to where he had heard Olivia shout from.

She was already calling her findings in. "Yeah we found something Fin." Elliot informed him as he looked at what Olivia had found. Slouched against a huge block of concrete was a dead homeless man. Attached to his torn and soiled shirt was a piece of paper with cut out newspaper letters that read, 'who am I and where am I from??"

"It looks like we just got our next peice of the puzzle." Olivia said.

"I'm really beginning to hate this game." Elliot replied.

Now they had their next clue to try and work out and if any of them hadn't realized just how bad this game was going to get they were certainly about to.

**TBC**

**Very short I know but the next one will be longer I promise.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Once again, they're not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf and this is just for fun.**

**Chapter 3**

The day hadn't been a good one for any of the guys at the SVU but it had certainly been a long one and thanks to a build up at the morgue they weren't going to get any answers till tomorrow. Everyone had decided that the best thing to do was call it a day and go home and get a good nights sleep, fresh for tomorrow. Everyone was now at home doing there own thing. Elliot and Olivia had crashed on the couch with a bottle of wine and were sat trying to chill out whilst listening to music.

As usual Olivia couldn't get the case out of her head so had been chatting on about it all night. Elliot tried to ignore her and persuade her to think about something else but had since given up and just sat pretending to pay attention when really all he was getting was a headache.

"All this because he didn't tell a Dr his wife needed help, see normal people would just sue, you can't hel but feel sorry for him. I mean afterall he..." Olivia continued until being interrupted by Elliot smacking his lips down on hers. After a moment he pulled away, a satisfied grin on his face.

"You could have just told me to shutup you know." she said with a smile.

"That way was more fun." he replied.

This time she reached up and kissed him. The kiss quickly moved into a very passionate kiss which quickly moved into touching which moved to Elliot pushing her down flat on the couch and moving on top of her, which was followed by very steamy kisses, which was then quickly interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Damn-it!" Elliot cursed.

Olivia reluctantly pushed herself up off the couch and walked over to the door, straightening her hair and clothes out before answering it. She swung it open to find Elliot's oldest daughter, Maureen, standing there.

"Hey Olivia, is my Dad here?" she asked.

Olivia stepped aside to reveal Elliot and let Maureen walk in.

"Shit! Maureen baby, I totally forgot I said I would meet up with you today. I'm so sorry it's just this case at work and..."

"Don't worry about it Dad. I was shopping with Kath and Lizzie anyway." she lied, trying to hide her hurt from her father. "So what's cooking?" she asked as she began to smell burning.

"Shit!" Olivia cried as she ran over to the cooker and opened the door which allowed a thick black cloud of smoke to bellow out. She grabbed a cloth and pulled a very burnt looking lasagne out. "You wanna stay for dinner?" she asked Maureen.

The three of them had sat to eat the remains of the lasagne and all couldn't help but laugh at just how burnt it was. "It could have been worse," Maureen said. "This one time Mom cooked a lasagne and Dickie put one of Lizzie's barbie dolls in it, it was so funny! Kath nearly broke her tooth on it."

"Yeah and Lizzie cried for like a month over that barbie, we had to bury her in the back yard and everything." Elliot added.

The three of them just sat there laughing. Olivia couldn't help but love Elliot more when he was playing Daddy with his kids. He was amazing with them. She watched as he and Maureen continued with their trip down memory lane. There was something else playing on her mind at the moment, something that had been worrrying her for a while but the more she watched Elliot with his daughter the less concerned she was by what it was that had been bothering her.

As 11.30 rolled by Maureen suddenly decided that it was probably best to be going. She had to get back for school anyway. She couldn't afford to miss her classes she had way too much work on at the moment. "Thanks for the food Olivia, it was..."

"Awful." Elliot finished for her.

"It was still better than yours." Olivia said to him.

"That's the truth." Maureen added.

"Don't you have to go." Elliot said playfully.

Maureen and Olivia laughed at him before giving each other a hug. "See you soon Maureen. Good luck at school."

"G'night Olivia."

"Come on I'll walk you down to your car." Elliot said as he wrapped his arm around his daughters shoulder.

Olivia left them to it. There was something she needed to do anyway. She left the door open slightly for Elliot then walked into the bathroom.

- - - - - -

The next day Olivia and Elliot's first trip was to see Melinda for her verdict on the COD of the homeless guy. "His clothing was all sent off for analysis. There's nothing I could tell you about them except that they only helped to remind us that our vic is a homeless man. Not that we needed a reminder, this stench is bad enough." she said, offering the man on the slab a pitiful and sympathizing look.

Olivia and Elliot both stood there with masks over their mouths and noses, only taking them away to ask questions. " However I'd say the reason our vic smells so bad is because he's been dead a few days." Melinda informed them.

"What? So chances are Merritt didn't kill him." Olivia asked in disbelief.

"Not unless he was somehow able to give this man a heart attack whilst being in custody." Melinda replied.

"So Merritt just happened to find his body somewhere?" Elliot thought out loud.

"This is Merritt Rook, Elliot what did you expect." Olivia said sounding annoyed.

"Okay so what else can you tell us?" Elliot asked after quickly glancing at Olivia who seemed to be a little distant all of a sudden.

"Nothing much really. I'll see if I can find anything else but I doubt it. Oh Elliot I did find this." Melinda said as she passed him a rather worn ID card.

"Howard James." Elliot read. "He's an old Army Colonel. We'll see if we can find anymore info on him. Maybe he has some family out there. Afterall we really need to know who he is if we have any hopes of finding Rook."

Melinda smiled, hoping he did, that way he could have a proper funeral and also so they could lock Merritt away for good. Elliot nodded his goodbye. It wasn't the answer he had hoped for but it would have to do for now.

- - - - - -

Back at the SVU Olivia was stood making drinks and Elliot was taking a call when Munch and Fin walked back in. "Well that was a complete waste of a tank of gas." Munch complained. "What else can you tell us?" he asked as he hung up his and Fin's coat.

"Not a whole lot. We found another contact for our vic. Elliot's checking it out now." Olivia told them.

Cragen stood leaning on Olivia's desk, also waiting to hear Elliot's findings. At that moment Elliot hung up and sat back down at his desk, still jotting down notes.

"Well?" Olivia asked him.

"He said the last time he saw Howard was at his wife's funeral back in 1998. He just occasionally passes him in the street. He said he was always too drunk and too confused to recognize him. He tried to take him home one time but ended up with a black eye and a bite on his arm."

"Did he say where he lived before he went on the streets?" Olivia asked, hopeful.

"He said Howard and his wife had owned an old antiques shop out in Brooklyn before she died. After she died it was just locked up and left to get dusty."

"Go check it out." Cragen suggested.

- - - - - -

After having arrived at the very run-down antiques store, the four detectives had waited for an officer to break in. They were all already sick to death of the protective detail that followed them everywhere. They paired off and began searching the dark and dusty shop.

"What do you think the chances of us ever finding Merritt are?" Olivia asked Elliot as they continued to search for anything resembling a clue.

"Good." Elliot answered truthfully.

"What do you think the chances are of him coming in peacefully like he said he would?" she asked.

"Shit." he answered, again pretty truthfully.

- - - - - -

In another part of the shop Munch and Fin were also trying to find Merritt's next move in his game. "…and what was with the whole trying to electrocute Liv thing. I thought this guy was just trying to prove a point up until that point." Munch said, continuing to ramble on.

"Yeah you two must have a lot in common coming from the crazy planet." Fin shot at him.

"Paranoid maybe, but I am not crazy and I certainly wouldn't get kicks out of getting someone to electrocute their partner." he said.

"Elliot never electrocuted Liv and neither did Merritt." Fin reminded him.

"I'm just saying." Munch said.

"What's that?" Fin said, finally spotting something after almost fifteen minutes of searching.

He walked over to the cash register and grabbed the long piece of receipt paper that was practically falling from it. It clearly stood out as it was the only thing in the entire place that wasn't covered in about two inches of dust. They both looked at it but it was Munch who read from it.

"3B Merry Mount building, Park Road." he said, the words making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "That's my building. That's my apartment." Munch spoke, for once, all humor gone from his voice.

**TBC**

**Anyone guess what's bugging Liv?**

**Thanks for reading, please review.**

**For the record I have absoloutley no idea of street names in New York, I only know of Lexington from the show, so I have to make street names and stuff up. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**I hope I got Fin's sons name right. **

**Chapter 4**

With their guns ready and prepared for anything Fin, Elliot, Olivia and Munch all ran into Munch's apartment. All the curtains – black out curtains – had been shut and there wasn't a single light on so the place was practically pitch black. They all went off in seperate directions to search the place. Of course they were all followed by backup and protective detail was waiting outside.

Finally they all came to a stop in the bedroom. "You find anything?" Olivia asked.

"Nada" Munch said.

Suddenly the phone rang, being his apartment Munch walked over to it and answered it. "Yeah," he said, disheartened by the whole thing.

They all watched as his expression changed. He turned to face them before pushing the speaker button.

"Well done Detective's. You're all better at this than I thought. You're doing well, really you are, but here's the next clue. Listen closely," he warned them. "What was the name of Barbie's boyfriend?" he asked them.

They all looked as puzzled as each other, before all turning to face Olivia. "I never played with Barbie's." she told them.

"Ken..?" Elliot questioned. Lizzie had always been playing with Ken and Barbie dolls, when she was younger anyway.

Like a bolt of lightning it hit Fin. "Ken." he said as he ran out. The other three, realizing what it meant, ran out after him.

Merritt couldn't help but chuckle to himself down the phone before finally hanging up. He now had to get ready for the next game.

- - - - - -

Fin pulled up outside his son's apartment building. He was half on the sidewalk and half on the road. He didn't even bother to turn the engine off he just dove out of the car and pulled his gun out as he ran. The others quickly followed. Protective detail were miles behind, Fin had lost them just after leaving Munch's place.

All of them took the stairs two at a time but still none of them could keep up with Fin, he was like a man out of control. When they finally got to Ken's apartment - which was on the fourth floor - there was no evidence of a break-in, the door was just simply open. The four of them now had their guns out and Fin wasted no time in going in. They all practically froze at the door when there eyes all fell upon the same thing. Wrote on the wall, in red liquid was _'run run run as fast as you can but you won't catch me, no one can!'_

"Ken!" Fin shouted and prayed whatever was on the wall was not blood. "Ken!" he yelled again, his heart pounding in his chest. The four of them began calling Ken's name and checking all over the small apartment, nothing. "Where is he?" Fin said, completely panic stricken.

Suddenly there was a bang. They all spun around with there guns pointed at where it came from. Then they all heard it again. "It's coming from the closet." Olivia pointed out.

Fin ran past them all and almost pulled the door off its hinges as he opened it. Finally his heart took a rest. He reached in and pulled Ken up off the floor. He had a small gash on his head and cheek and a bloody nose and his ankles and wrists were tied together. Fin helped him over to the couch and sat down next to him whilst Elliot and Munch began untying the ropes. There was also a gag in his mouth that Fin quickly took off. Olivia ran into the kitchen to get a cloth to clean Ken's face up with.

"Dad," Ken said as he leaned into his father. Fin wrapped his arms around him and just held him. Just thankful he wasn't to worse for wear.

"Are you okay?" Fin asked him.

"I'll be fine." Ken said. "It was that guy, the one who was on TV, the guy you all caught. How did he get out?" Ken asked.

"Never mind. Come on I'm gonna get you to a hospital." Fin said as he helped him to stand.

- - - - - -

Back at the precinct everyone was sat around. Merritt hadn't really left a clue at Ken's only the writing on the wall which had turned out to be only red paint. They all looked up at Fin as he stormed in, just now getting back from the hospital.

"How's Ken doing?" Olivia asked him as she unknowingly sat there rubbing her own stomach.

"He's gonna be fine. Dr's want to keep him in over night." he told them.

"I'll send some guys to sit outside his room just in case Rook decides to pay him another visit." Cragen informed him before going to make the call.

"Thanks Capt." Fin said.

"So did he tell you anything else?" Munch asked.

"He just said what Merritt was talking about. You know authority and all that, the usual."

As they sat listening Elliot's phone rang so whilst the others continued talking he answered it. "Stabler,"

Although listening to the others Olivia couldn't help but look away when she saw every ounce of colour fade from Elliot's face. "Fuck!" he yelled as he punched the table and walked away from it only to punch the wall. Olivia quickly ran over to stop him before he did it again and risked breaking his hands or wrists or both. Cragen, hearing the commotion, ran over to the phone and put it on speaker.

"Daddy…Daddy are you there? Please you have to help me." The sound of Elliot's daughter Maureen crying and begging her father was almost too much for all of them.

Elliot turned around and walked back over to the phone, leaning right over it as he spoke. "Baby I'm gonna come get you right now. Don't cry everything's going to be alright. I'm gonna come find you I promise." he said, trying to sound confident.

"Is it Elliot? You know you really shouldn't make promises that you can't keep." Merritt said. His voice was dull and cold as he spoke now. Like he somehow hated himself for having gone this far.

"You give me my daughter back or I swear to God I will rip you apart!" Elliot yelled.

"I don't doubt that you would Elliot. Any good father would fight to the death for his child. It's just sometimes choices have to be made and when you make them choices not everyone comes out on top." Merritt continued. They all stood listening to his every word. "In a minute I'm going to give you two street addresses. Maureen may be at one of them," he said.

"What do you mean may? Where the fuck is she?" Elliot roared at him.

"She's right here Elliot and you'll keep your voice down if you want it to stay that way. I hear the Hudson is freezing at this time of year, how would you like it if I took Maureen there for a little swim?"

"I get it you're in control, just please tell me how I can get my daughter back?" Elliot asked, trying to sound calm and submissive.

"At each address there will be an abandoned car. Your daughter will be in one of them. This is how it goes. Elliot, you and Detective Tutuola will go to the first address and the lovely Olivia will go with John to the other address. Do I make myself clear?" Merritt checked.

"Crystal." Elliot replied.

The others all looked at one another as they waited for the rest of Merritt's orders.

- - - - - -

Both teams had arrived at their given address. Again both had successfully managed to lose protective detail. They were all becoming pretty good at that now. After all they did there jobs better without them around.

It was late and the streets were both dark, neither had street lights so they were searching the cars in it with torches. Elliot and Fin had searched dozens of cars already and there were still more to go. This was a typical place for stolen cars to be left once joy riders had got bored with them.

Olivia and Munch however were still trying to find just one car. Finally Munch spotted one in the distance and they both took off running towards it, calling Maureen's name as they ran.

Elliot and Fin were still searching through the pile they had. Suddenly Elliot could hear muffled screams so straight away took off running to where they were coming from, Fin quickly joined him. They both stopped when they got to a dark blue ORV. Inside Maureen lay on the back seat. She was going hysteric and she too seemed pretty beaten up. He wasted no time in opening the car door. He reached in and pulled Maureen out. He quickly pulled the gag from her out of her mouth and untied the ropes around her wrists before throwing his arms around her and holding her tight as she cried.

Fin stood watching, again thankful that this time his friend's daughter was going to be okay. "I'll call Liv and Munch." he told Elliot as he took his phone out.

Elliot watched him but never loosened his grip on his daughter. He never wanted to let her go again. Henlistened as Fin spoke to Liv telling her that they had found Maureen and telling her that she wasn't too badly injured. Suddenly he heard ringing, he looked into the car he had just pulled Maureen out of and found a cell phone. "Is this yours?" he asked her.

"No Daddy." she said her voice shaky from crying so much.

Intrigued he answered it. "Stabler."

"I see you've found Maureen," Merritt said enthusiastically. "There was however something I failed to mention before."

"Oh yeah what's that?" Elliot asked him.

"That one of the cars is rigged with a bomb and will go off in exactly 4 seconds."

Elliot's heart stopped and he dropped the phone to the floor and started running, grabbing Fin as he passed him. "Liv run away from the car now!" he yelled into the phone Fin was holding. He knew it wasn't this car, he knew Merritt wouldn't kill Maureen once Elliot had rescued her

- - - - - -

Olivia stood there confused as she listened to all the commotion on the other side.

"Liv get away from the car now!!" Elliot shouted again.

She had wandered away from it slightly and Munch was now walking towards her but they were still close to it. "Munch run!" she yelled.

There was nothing either of them could do as the car behind them exploded…

**TBC**

**Cliffhanger again, I just can't help myself, sorry.**

**Thanks for reading, leave a review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 5**

"Olivia, Liv talk to me. Please Liv just answer the phone." Elliot begged.

He could hear the roaring fire over the phone but he couldn't hear Olivia or Munch.

- - - - - -

Olivia had left the phone where it lay on the floor. She was trying to pull Munch's lifeless body away from the fiery car wreck. She hadn't got him much further away when the car let out a second big explosion. The force threw her back down on the floor but as quickly as she could got up and continued trying to help Munch to saftey. Finally at a safe distant she ran over to the phone and picked it up.

"Elliot, Elliot, John isn't breathing. He was caught up in the blast." she explained. "I'm gonna start CPR." she told him.

Elliot quickly took his phone out and passed it to Fin. "Call for a bus. John's hurt." he said, "Liv we're on our way."

- - - - - -

Medics had shown up before Elliot and Fin had and as soon as they had got Munch stable they were on the way to the hospital. The others all followed behind. Olivia now walked up to Elliot who stood alone in the corridor, waiting outside Maureen's room. "How is she?" she asked him.

"She's gonna be fine. She's still in shock. They sedated her when we got here because she was becoming hysterical. Doctor's are keeping her in overnight and Cragen has said he's gonna put officers outside her room too, just in case. How's munch doing?" he asked.

"He's got one hell of a headache but he's good. He was really lucky, if he had been just alittle bit closer to the car then it would be a different story. He'd probably be dead right now." she said as she sat down. Elliot quickly joined her by her side.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah I had wandered away from the car when Fin rang. John continued looking through the car...Merritt's just getting more dangerous. Munch nearly died. I hate to think what he could have done to Maureen or Ken…" she began.

"Hey," Elliot said as he wrapped his arm around her and tangled his hand up in her hair. "They're all gonna be fine and you never know the blast may have knocked a bit of sense into munch." he joked managing to make her laugh.

"Elliot!"

They both looked up to see Kathy running up the corridor carrying little Eli and with the others all running behind her. " Elliot, oh my God where is she? Is she okay?" Kathy asked him.

"Shh, she's okay." he said as he hugged his ex wife tyring to callm her down. "Let me take Eli while you go in and see her. The Doctors gave her some drugs to help her sleep but she should be waking up soon." he told her.

Kathy nodded but didn't really take most of what he had said in. She handed Eli over to him then ran into Maureen's room. The other three Stabler children all quickly held onto their father.

"Daddy is Maureen okay?" Lizzie asked.

"Yeah honey she's gonna be fine." he said as he held onto all his children.

"El I have another checkup but I'll be back in a minute. Unless you need me. If you want me to stay I could just leave it." Olivia said.

"No Liv go, if the Doctor's said you needed a checkup then you have to go for it."

"You sure?" she checked.

"Yes. Now go before I drag you to it myself." he said firmly.

Doing as she was told she went off for the appointment that the nurse had arranged for her.

- - - - - -

A few minutes later, after having been lost, she walked onto the maternity ward, straight away a nurse walked up to her. "Are you Olivia?" she asked her.

"Yeah." Olivia answered nervously.

"Hi I'm Kirsten, Ellen told me you were coming up. She said you needed to have a scan just to check your baby is okay?"

"Yeah." Olivia said again, still nervous to hell. From this moment on she wasn't the only person who knew she was pregnant.

A few more minutes later and Olivia was lying on a bed with her shirt rolled up and Kristen was already smudging the cold gel over her stomach. Olivia couldn't help but notice the worried look on the nurses face as she examined the screen.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, panicking.

"Yeah it's fine. I'm just trying to get a clear picture for you. Here we go." she said as she turned the screen round so Olivia could see it. "Baby seems fine, nothing to worry about."

"Is that it's heart?" she asked.

"Sure is and it looks like a good strong one. Do you want to hear it?" Kristen said.

Olivia nodded without hesitation. She couldn't help but smile as the room was filled by the baby's beating heart. "Oh my god? Is it supposed to be that loud?" she asked.

"It's a very good sign. First time mom?" Kristen asked.

"That obvious?"

Kristen just laughed. "Don't worry it gets easier as you go on. We'll give you some leaflets and things that you can take with you and look at. One thing I will suggest is that you stay behind your desk at work. Leave the chasing bad guys to your colleagues." Kristen said, Ellen, the other nurse had explained Olivia's situation to her before sending her up. Olivia just smiled at her. Although good advice it really wasn't an option at the moment.

- - - - - -

With Maureen, Munch and Ken all being safely watched over at the hospital Fin, Elliot , Olivia and Cragen had all returned back to the SVU.

"So what now, we wait for Rook's next clue or whatever?" Cragen asked.

"I guess so." Fin said.

"I'm getting really sick of these games. There's gotta be someway we can find him before this thing gets any worse." Elliot said.

"How can it possibly get any worse?" Cragen questioned.

The phone in Cragen's office began ringing so got up and rushed off to answer it. "When this whole thing started out I didn't think Merritt had it in him to actually kill someone but tonight just made me realize how wrong I was. He doesn't care anymore. He just wants to be heard." Elliot said.

Cragen rushed back into the squad room, his coat already in his hand. "Rook's at it again. He's got some guy holding up a convenience store. He's told him he as to shoot everyone in there or else he'll never see his wife and two children again." he informed them all.

"And you said it couldn't get any worse." Olivia said in disbelief.

- - - - - -

The four of them ducked under the crime scene tape at the same time and all of them, already wearing bullet proof vests, walked over to the bilding where the negotiator stood. "Guy said he would only talk to you lot. Said he had a message for you all from a Merritt Rook." the negotiator said.

"Okay come on guys, no heroics in here." Cragen ordered.

Slowly and with their guns ready they all walked in. Still moving slowly they all spread out and walked through the aisles till the reached the fornt of the store where the guy was sood pointing a gun at a group of people huddled up on the floor. Held tightly in his arms with a gun pointing directly at her head was a small Asian woman, no more than 20 years old and looking completely terrified, with all good reason. The moment he saw them all he spun around and backed up towards the counter, tightening his grip around the woman, causing her to whimper.

"Sir lower your fire arm and we can talk about this" Cragen began.

"He's got my wife and children. I have to do this." he told them.

"We'll help you get your wife and kids back if you co-operate." Cragen continued.

Fin quickly scanned the scene there was at least three injured people and the other were clearly scared shitless. The scene brought back bad memories for him in particular.

"Sir people are already injured, if they stay here they could die and then you're looking at a murder rap and no one will want to help you get your family back." Elliot said, trying to reason with him.

"No you're wrong, they have to die or he will kill my family." he said.

"Sir we won't let him, please just give me the gun and lets get these people some help." Cragen said as he slowly began to lower his gun.

The man looked at all of them like maybe he was thinking it over. "I'm sorry but I can't." he said before he aimed his gun directly at them. Elliot watched as he began to pull the trigger. He quickly pulled his but not before the man fired off a shot. Cragen yelled in pain as the bullet ripped through his arm. Elliot just watched as the man fell to the floor, dead, and the woman in his arms fell to the floor sobbing.

He then looked over at Cragen who was now stood with Olivia who had her hand tightly clamped over his bleeding wound. Seconds later a back up team ran in some began helping the hostages out whilst others checked on the guy but there was no need he was dead, and now Elliot couldn't help but think so were his family.

**TBC**

**Merritt is still just warming up yet. **

**Thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

**Chapter 6**

Elliot walked into the apartment behind Olivia he was talking about Cragen. In fact he hadn't stopped talking about Cragen since they had left him at the hospital. Thanks to Merritt they were now building up quite a collection of people there. They certainly didn't want anymore of their people there that was for sure.

"I don't think I can imagine what the SVU would be like if he wasn't in charge of it." Elliot said.

Olivia was equally glad that Cragen was going to make a full recovery but unlike Elliot she had one more thing on her mind, something she really needed to tell him but something she wasn't sure how to say.

Elliot walked over to the fridge and pulled out a beer. He offered it to Olivia but she shook her head. Elliot shrugged his shoulders and opened up the beer before shutting the fridge door with his foot and taking a long swig as he walked over to the couch.

As he got to the couch he realized that Olivia was still standing in the hallway. She stood alone with a lost expression on her face. "Liv what is it, what's up?" he asked her.

"Elliot there's something we need to talk about." she said.

"What?" he asked.

She was about to say _'lets sit down'_ when Elliot's phone rang. He looked at it, planning on ignoring whoever it was, however when he saw _Kathy cell, _he knew he had to answer it. "It's Kathy." he told Olivia.

She just smiled knowing he had to answer it. Then whilst he talked to Kathy she went to change into some sweat pants and a tank. She was feeling tired and a little nauseous, something she guessed she should get used to. Her next move was to get into bed.

She was in the bathroom brushing her teeth when Elliot walked in wearing his jacket. "Maureen needs me Liv, I've gotta go." he said.

"El, go she's your daughter you don't need my permission." she replied, after having rid her mouth of toothpaste.

He smiled and walked up to her, cupping the back of her head as he kissed her cheek, unable to hit her lips because of the toothbrush sticking out of her mouth. "Love you." he said before rushing out.

Olivia just listened as she heard the door shut. She really did need to talk to him so couldn't help wanting him to stay. "We love you too." she said to thin air.

- - - - - -

Elliot walked into Maureen's hospital room and upon seeing him she sat straight up in the bed and began crying. He quickly walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Shh, it's okay baby daddy's here." he said as he rubbed her back and then kissed her head.

After a few minutes Maureen had fallen back asleep. The drugs the nurses had given her to relax were still in her system so she had kept waking up ranting about something or crying about something else all night. Kathy stood in the hallway with her face in her hands as she cried. Elliot walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried.

The other children had gone home with Kathy's mother and father so until now she had been alone. After a moment she managed to compose herself and pulled back from Elliot. She couldn't help but laugh at the small wet patch on his shirt left behind by her tears. "Sorry." she said with a smile.

"Don't worry about it." he said.

"Those drugs are still really playing on her, ha?" Elliot said.

"It's because they're starting to work their way out of her system." Kathy pointed out.

"So soon she should be talking sense?" Elliot asked her.

"Real soon," Kathy told him.

"Good. Maybe she can tell us where Merritt kept her. He could still be there."

"Elliot, just don't push her too much. She's in so much shock already." Kathy reminded him.

"I know Kath, I won't. I just wanna catch Rook before he has a chance to hurt anymore people." Elliot told her.

At first he had understood where Merritt was coming from, he had no idea what he would've done if he had lost Kathy and Maureen, or Kathy and Kathleen, or her and the twins. He had been scared to death when he nearly lost her whilst she was having Eli. It was only thanks to Olivia that he still had both of them.

Now however he had lost all concern and pity for him and he just wanted Merritt dead. After hurting Maureen, if it was the last thing he did he would bring Merritt down before he got the chance to hurt another person he loved or cared for, or somebody that they loved or cared for.

- - - - - -

Olivia was lying in bed, unable to sleep. She had too many things going through her head, things like; what age was a good age to start potty training a baby and what pre- school was the best and who would look after the baby in the day when Olivia was in work and how they were going to catch Merritt and what would Elliot say when she told him the news and what would they do if they _never_ caught Merritt and he continued hurting people and getting them to kill each other and…

She was suddenly brought out of her thoughts, quite happily as they were all beginning to give her a headache, as she heard a creak come from within the apartment. She sat up in bed and turned the lamp on. "Elliot is that you?"

She remained there for a minute but got no reply. Slowly she climbed out of bed. For some unknown reason she had been stupid enough to leave her gun in the other room. She never did this so it pissed her off that the one night she decided to do it was when she was sure there was someone in her apartment. She was about to begin walking when she heard what sounded like the front door slam. "Elliot..?" she called again.

She closed her eyes and waited for a reply, praying it would be Elliot's voice she heard but still nothing. Slowly she began walking away from her bed. She had never been scared to be in her apartment alone, but right now she was. If she did for some reason have to fight it would no longer be just her she was fighting to protect it would be the baby growing inside her as well.

Away from her bedroom it was dark, the tiny bedside lamp offered no light to the rest of the apartment, leaving her to try and use only the moonlight shining in through the windows to guide her way round. She suddenly froze as that thought really hit her, _the moonlight shining in..? _She had closed the curtains…

Her heart stopped as she heard the floorboards creak behind her. There was a _whoosh_, then pain, followed by more pain as she hit the floor. She suddenly couldn't tell where the pain was coming from but she could taste blood in her mouth and she could feel the warmth of her blood as it trickled down her face. She knew then whoever was in her apartment had hit her on the head. Slowly things were becoming darker and darker and as her head began to feel heavier and heavier the rest of her body began to feel numb until eventually everything went black…

**TBC**

**Remember like I said Merritt was just warming up; well now he's getting ready for a final show and one last game and he's ready to go out with a bang.**

**Thanks for reading, please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: They don't belong to me they belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Chapter 7**

Kathy had finally fallen asleep too in a bed made from chairs, thanks to Elliot, next to Maureen's bedside. He had placed a blanket over her and had to admit she looked pretty comfortable. With a guard stationed outside he had left them and was now wearily climbing up the stairs to Olivia's apartment. He finally reached her floor and began walking over to her door. His feet scraped clumsily over the floor as by now they too were sleepy so he was practically dragging them.

He had his set of keys out ready but as he got closer to the door he could see something on it, a smudge just under the lock. He practically ran over to it. His heart jumped into his throat as he realized it was blood. He couldn't seem to open the door fast enough and then once he had and was inside the apartment, his shaking hands couldn't seem to find the light switch.

Finally his fingers stumbled upon it and he flicked the lights on. He surveyed the apartment but nothing seemed to be out of place, not one thing. "Liv?" he called his voice shaky. "Olivia?" he called again.

He quickly realized she wasn't there, that scared him the most because she should have been. He took another look around the apartment until his eyes fell on something that made him stumble back and made his hand shoot over his mouth to stifle a gasp. There on the floor, just in front of the TV was a pool of blood. He knew straight away something was wrong but wishful thinking made him take out his phone and ring Olivia's.

"Fuck!" he cursed as her cell began vibrating against the kitchen worktop where it had been left right next to her jacket and holster.

He ended the call and then phoned another number, the guys. As he stood waiting for someone to answer he noticed apiece of paper lying on the worktop. He walked over to it and began reading, _'Tick tock then __**boom**__ went the __**clock**__**'** _he had no idea what it meant, but he certainly didn't like it.

- - - - - -

The SVU was swarming, even more so than before. Everyone was trying to find out what had happened to Olivia. Her apartment was completely littered with CSU guys trying to find any evidence they could. So far the only thing they had confirmed was that the blood on the floor and on the door belonged to Olivia, something that had knocked Elliot sick. They did however have a partial fingerprint from the smudge on the door but so far nothing had come back from that.

As everybody ran round doing what they had been ordered Elliot sat at his desk, staring over at the empty space where Olivia would normally sit. He was so lost in thought, just imagining her sitting there, that he never heard his phone begin ringing. It was only when Munch tapped his shoulder that he heard it. Straight away he picked it up. Everyone went silent and just looked at him. Then Elliot pushed speaker.

"It's amazing how much harder you all work when it's one of your own." Merritt Rook said. "What I find most intriguing is that you're working hard to find someone who may already be dead Detective's."

"If you've hurt Olivia I'll kill you, you fuck, you understand me you're dead!" Elliot roared as he punched the desk either side of the phone.

Munch and Fin quickly pulled him back out of fear he may actually smash the phone.

"Don't get too ahead of the game Elliot. Killing Olivia just now wouldn't help. There are more things you need to understand before you can finish playing the game." Merritt continued.

"What things?" Elliot asked.

"You'll see," was all Merritt said before hanging up.

"Damn-it! Fucking damn-it!" Elliot yelled as he punched the wall and kicked it, before resting his head against it. He hated himself for having not been there when Olivia needed him. He suddenly felt someone's reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Don't fall apart yet Elliot, you're no good to her like this." Cragen said. "I promise you we will get her back and when we do and we get Merritt too you can personally kick his ass back to hell."

"What if we never catch him, ha? What if he kills her? What if she's already dead?" Elliot ranted, his eyes filled with tears.

"That isn't an option Elliot. We are going to get her back and she is still alive." Cragen said knowingly.

"I can't lose her." he said.

"You're not going to." Cragen informed him.

- - - - - -

It had been hours since Merritt's call and although he had calmed back down Elliot couldn't help but be scared shitless over what horrible things Merritt could do to her, what he had done to her last time. He had come up to the cribs seeking some much needed peace and quiet. He sat down on the nearest cot and immediately his head fell into his hands and he fought back tears. He had to be strong for Olivia, he knew that but he was finding it damn near impossible. He just wanted her back in his arms.

As he sat alone he couldn't help but think about the last time he had kissed her. He remembered every little kiss but the last one he had gave her, although he had meant if wholeheartedly, had been nothing just a simple peck on her cheek. He couldn't stand to think that that may be the last 'kiss' they would ever share.

He sat there thinking about the note Merritt had left, he wondered why the words boom and clock where in bold, '_what made them important',_ then like a cold it hit him. He got up and ran down into the squad room.

"Boomers clock shop." he blurted out.

The guys just looked up at him. "What about it?" Munch asked.

Elliot pulled the evidence bag with the note right in front of them. "The words boom and clock are in bold, the rest aren't. It's gotta mean something and I think it means Boomers clock shop." he said, absolutely positive he was right.

"That place has been closed down for months now." Fin told him.

"I know but maybe our next clue is there. Maybe Merritt and Olivia are there. I'm checking this out." he said as he quickly grabbed his keys and his jacket and ran out. Without hesitation Munch, Fin and even Cragen joined him.

**TBC**

**Will his good thinking be right? You'll have to wait and see...sorry!**

**Thanks for reading. I'll update a.s.a.p.**

**Please review! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I hate this stupid thing. We all know I don't own them.**

**Chapter 8**

Thanks to Elliot having broke every speed limit in town they had arrived at the clock shop in record time. They all quickly poured out of the car and ran up to the building.

"Let's split up. Fin. Munch there are exits around the back, you two take them," Elliot said and straight away the two set off around the back. "You and me will take this way." he said to Cragen as he walked over to the entrance.

He fully expected the building to be locked and knew he would either have to barge or shoot his way in, however, as he grabbed the handle, ready to try pushing it open, the door simply swung open. He looked at Cragen. _What reason did this door have to be unlocked?_

"I'm calling for back up. I think you're onto something Elliot." Cragen said as he took his phone out. He was completely prepared for fighting lions if he had to, if it meant saving Olivia, even with his other arm in a sling but he knew their chances were better in larger numbers.

"I'm going in." Elliot told him.

"Be careful Elliot." he said before he had disappeared into the building.

Straight away Elliot had his gun out ready. Slowly he scanned the room he was in. He heard a noise behind him and spun round, his gun aimed. Immediately seeing who it was he lowered it.

"You two found her yet?"

It was a stupid question really. If they had have found her they would have had her with them. They wouldn't find her and leave her where they had found her ready for Elliot to then find her.

"No." Fin told him.

"Elliot she may not be here." Munch added.

"She is." Elliot said confidently.

"How do you know that?" he asked him.

"Because she has to be, because I want her back now." he said firmly.

They both then knew _not _finding her here was an option. "We'll go take a look upstairs. You take another look around here." Fin said to him.

Elliot nodded and watched as they both walked away. He was beginning to feel less and less confident about actually finding her here, but he wasn't about to give up looking just yet.

He had just begun walking, again with his gun aimed and ready, when he suddenly heard a door creak from somewhere behind him. He spun around looking in every direction until finally he saw a door. It was behind what had once been the check out. He could see it was slightly open and he could see that there was some light coming from out of the small gap. Quickly he went running over to it.

He pushed it open and checked it out. All he could see were steps. Steps that led down to what he guessed to be the basement. What attracted him most was that there was a light on down there.

Very slowly he began making his way down the steps, still holding his gun out ready. His head was telling him to not get too excited, _this could just be a homeless person living here_, but his heart told him it was Olivia.

As he got to the bottom of the rotten wooden stairs his heart stopped. Straight away his body began shaking. Sat on a chair in front of him, wrists tied together, was Olivia. What scared the shit out of him the most was the belt of explosives she wore.

He wanted to run straight over to her but behind her stood Merritt a gun, Olivia's gun, in one hand pointed right at her head and a hand held remote trigger for what he guessed where the explosives in the other.

"Let's just stay calm." Elliot suggested as he lowered his gun.

Merritt grabbed a handful of Olivia's hair and pulled her head back, practically waving the remote trigger in her face, as he jabbed Olivia's temple with the gun in anger as he said, "You don't get to make the rules now Elliot. I do. What I say goes." he barked.

"Okay, okay." Elliot quickly said. He needed Merritt to know he was top dog now, anything to keep Olivia safe.

"You know Elliot I thought you would have found us a lot sooner. I thought you wouldn't breathe until you found your precious Olivia. The three of us have been waiting for you." Merritt said.

For a moment Elliot looked around. As far as he could see other than him there was only Olivia and Merritt in the room.

"You're so blind Elliot. You don't even see what right in front of you." Merritt said angrily. His voice also showed pity for Elliot.

'_What reason did he have to pity him?'_

Elliot looked at Olivia. She was, understandably, crying and yet trying hard not to cry anymore than she was. He could see a big bloodied gash on her forehead and there was a dark purple bruise on her cheek and her nose had a small trickle of blood by it. He was filled with anger towards Merritt who he knew had caused the injuries. Something else played on his mind though. _3 of us…_ what did Merritt mean?

He looked at Olivia and watched as she mouthed the words _'I'm sorry'_ to him. He just shook his head. She had nothing to be sorry for. Still he looked at her eyes, he could usually read them so well but now all he saw in them was fear and even anger. Anger he knew was directed towards Merritt.

"You're going to be a father again Elliot, congratulations you knocked her up." Merritt said bitterly.

Elliot watched as tears rolled down Olivia's cheek, making it so much harder for him to hold his tears back._ He was going to be a father; Olivia was going to have a baby, their baby_. "Let her go." he said clearly, never taking his eyes off Olivia.

"Don't tell me what to do Elliot." Merritt told him.

"Let her go!" Elliot roared at him.

"Don't fucking tell me what to do!" Merritt roared back at him as he bashed the gun firmly on Olivia's temple. Something Elliot knew was sure to cause a bruise, not to mention hurt like hell.

Elliot backed off, turning around and silently screaming as he heard Olivia whimpering. He knew she was more scared for a baby that would be no bigger than an orange right now than she would be for herself. He quickly turned back around and threw his gun down on the floor. It slid across the floor right next to Merritt's foot.

"Take me, take me and let her go." Elliot said submissively.

"I don't want you Elliot." he said. "I want her." he told him.

"WHY?" Elliot yelled.

"BECAUSE!" Merritt yelled back at him as tears began to spill from his eyes, "She's her Elliot." he said firmly.

"Who?" Elliot asked.

"Juliet." he said. "She's my Juliet." he said before he leaned down and lovingly kissed the top of Olivia's head, purposely taking the time to smell her hair that now smelt like her shampoo mixed with the coppery scent of her blood, thanks to the nice wound on her head because of him.

Elliot wanted to kill him for even touching her. He just prayed to God he hadn't done anything else to her.

"Merritt I know you don't want to hurt her. That's not Juliet, that's Olivia. Now look at her. She's hurt. You wouldn't have wanted someone to hurt Juliet like this whilst she was pregnant would you? I know you wouldn't want someone to whack a load of explosives on her either. Come on Merritt. Just take them off her and we can talk about this. I know you. I know you don't really want to hurt Olivia or the baby. Do you Merritt?" he said.

"Don't mind fuck me! You don't know me! No one does! Only Juliet did. Someone did hurt my Juliet and my baby. Me. I let her die I let both of them die." he said as his tears fell heavily.

"No." Elliot said, unable to not feel sympathy for a man who really did blame himself for something that wasn't within his power to control and stop from happening. "You didn't kill either of them Merritt. The Doctor who didn't do his job properly did. I'm begging you though…don't hurt Olivia and the baby because of some stupid Doctors mistake." Elliot said, hoping his attempts at reasoning with him were working.

"Why should you be able to have what I lost?" Merritt asked him. Now serious as ever and his tears seemed to have stopped falling. His face seemed cold and he eyes were blank of any emotions.

Elliot suddenly felt really sick. In his head he only saw this ending one way. He had absolutely no clue as to what to say next. He all of a sudden couldn't take his eyes off Olivia, his Olivia. He looked down at her stomach it was flat still, that he knew, but right now he couldn't see it cause of the explosives surrounding it. He wished he could see it. He wondered if it would appear different to him now that he knew his child was growing inside there. Safely protected inside its mother, Olivia, but even he knew a mothers womb couldn't protect a baby from a bunch of explosives, not even God could protect it from them. He really did feel like he was going to be sick. He couldn't help but think he was not only going to lose the love of his life and his soul mate but also his unborn child.

"I'm begging you. Don't hurt them…please" Elliot begged.

Olivia burst into tears. Hearing Elliot plead for her life and that of their unborn baby's seemed so wrong. She had spent nights picturing her and Elliot sat watching a late night movie, cuddled up together on the couch with their newborn baby asleep on Elliot's lap as it held onto her finger. God she wanted to have that, realizing she may never get it just made her tears fall harder.

"Please Merritt, think about this. What would Juliet want you to do?" she said.

Merritt suddenly took a step back, still holding the gun at her head but now a few steps away from her. Elliot slowly began inching his way towards Olivia. Seeing Merritt just standing there, having not even noticed he had moved closer, he began moving quicker.

He reached Olivia and quickly pulled her up off the chair and placed her protectively behind him. He then began backing towards the steps. Merritt continued to just stand there. He got to the stair s and they were about to start heading up them when Merritt finally spoke.

"Elliot. Olivia," he said as he looked up. "I'm sorry." he said, tears filling his eyes as he held the remote trigger up.

"NO!" Olivia screamed.

Without thinking or caring Elliot wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.

The sudden bang was deafening…

**TBC**

**What a cruel cliffhanger, even for me.**

**Thanks for reading. Please review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: They're not mine.**

**The lyrics in this song, which also don't belong to me, are awesome and they're from a song by one republic and actually from a song that I first heard when watching an amazing E/O video on youtube.**

**They just seem to fit this story perfectly so that is why they are there. Hope you enjoy and feel the same.**

**Chapter** **9**

_**Step out the door and it feels like rain  
That's the sound (that's the sound) on your window pane  
Take to the streets but you can't ignore  
That's the sound (that's the sound) you're waiting for**_

_**If ever your world starts crashing down  
Whenever your world starts crashing down  
Whenever your world starts crashing down  
That's where you'll find me**_

It was dark now and the street outside Boomer's clock shop was filled with police cars, fire engines, ambulances, CSU vans and cars, reporters vans. Police officers stood making a human barrier to stop onlookers and the media getting close to the building that fire fighters fought to save from burning to a crisp.

Fin, Munch and Cragen were stood as close as they were allowed to get to it. None of them could take their eyes away from the building. It was a wreck now, anyone inside it would need to be wrapped up in Gods hands to stand a chance of surviving in it. They prayed he was watching tonight, as far as they knew Olivia and Elliot were still in there.

So far no one had stood a chance in going in to try and find them and bring them out to safety. No one had even got close…

_**Yeah God love your soul and your aching bones  
Take a breath, take a step, meet me down below  
Everyone's the same  
our fingers to our toes  
We just can't get it right  
But we're on the road**_

**If ever your will starts crashing down  
Whenever your will starts crashing down  
Whenever your will starts crashing down  
That's when you find me.**

Finally a group of firefighters ran into the building as the others still worked on controlling the fires coming from it. The three men stood holding their breaths praying for a miracle tonight.

It seemed to take forever, forever of deadly silence even as a fire roared and workers worked protecting and controlling the scene and reporters reported and onlookers gasped in horror. Still the men stood waiting, none of them had the guts to speak.

Suddenly from among the shadows and the smoke two firemen ran out, Elliot dangled between them, coughing, bloodied and burnt and looking like he'd just taken a trip to hells kitchen, but he was alive.

The three men ran over to him, closely followed by two paramedics who wheeled a stretcher over to him, ready to assist him…

_  
**(Yeah) Lost till you're found  
Swim till you drown**_

**Know that we all fall down  
Love till you hate  
Strong till you break  
Know that we all fall down**

Elliot looked back at the fiery building as the firemen left him and ran back inside. The medics pushed Elliot down onto the stretcher but even as he coughed his guts up he fought them.

"Olivia's inside there. I need to go back in. Olivia and the baby are in there. I gotta help them."

"Elliot you need to go to hospital." Cragen told him, not ignoring what he had said about Olivia _and _the baby.

"They're in there." he managed between pain filled coughs just as another part of the building collapsed.

"Elliot let them save her." Fin said.

Elliot wanted to get up but they all held him down and so they all just looked on at the scene of horror in front of them. Elliot's tears made clear tracks down his sooty face and silently he too prayed to God for a miracle, he begged him to spare Olivia and their baby.

He thought when the bombs went off it was the ones on Olivia but it wasn't. It was bombs that seemed to be everywhere, all over the building. Somehow they had become separated trying to get out. He had promised her inside he wouldn't let go of her hand but part of the building collapsed and then she was gone, he couldn't see her and the roaring fire had muffled any of her cries.

Now all they could do was watch…and pray…

**_If ever your will starts crashing down_  
**_**Whenever your will starts crashing down  
If ever your will starts crashing down  
That's when you'll find (find) me**_

**Lost till you're found  
Swim till you drown  
Know that we all fall down  
Love till you hate  
Strong till you break  
Know that we all fall down**

Still they watched and prayed. It would take someone special to survive this, someone who was fighting with the Gods and elements to live.

**All fall down, we all fall down, all fall down  
We all fall down, all fall down, all fall down**

Finally a fireman ran out carrying her in his arms, she wasn't moving much but she was coughing which meant she was alive. One arm lay protectively over her stomach. It amazed Elliot that even at death's door she was still protecting her unborn child. He managed to push himself free from the others and began walking over to her.

The medics ran past them and allowed the fireman to put her down on the stretcher recently occupied by Elliot. Although supported by the others he walked with them as they pushed the stretcher towards an ambulance. Now he held her hand and an earthquake wouldn't separate them this time.

The medics loaded the stretcher into the back of the bus and the others helped Elliot climb in. A medic quickly joined him and the other ran round and jumped in. Fin closed the doors and the three of them stood watching as it drove away.

"We got another one!" a fireman shouted as he ran out of the building.

They turned round and watched as two men carried out a very lifeless looking Merritt Rook. They all walked over to where they put him down, but the firemen just walked away from him. "We were too late for him." one of the men said to the three of them. Still they walked over to where Merritt's body lay on a patch of grass.

They all looked down at him, they couldn't swear to it but he had what seemed like a satisfied smile on his face, none of them knew why.

_**Lost till you're found  
Swim till you drown  
Know that we all fall down  
Love till you hate  
Strong till you break  
Know that we all fall down**_

None of them knew or would ever know that Merritt's last thought had been _'Juliet now I'm going to be with you.'_

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading, hope you liked it. **

**Please review and let me know what you think.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Last chapter now. This just seemed like a good place to end it. Sorry it's short.  
**

**Thanks for all the reviews I've received for this story. You guys rock and after a long time away and one of my first stories since being back, it was awesome to hear from so many familiar reviewers. You know who you are. It was also really great to hear from new reviewers. Thanks again to you all. I wish you all the best. And thanks to the readers who didn't leave reviews. You guys mean as much to me too.**

**Chapter 10**

(Many months later)

The film they had been watching had finished and Olivia had gone into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Eating practically a full tub of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough, although very satisfying, was not a great health plan for the teeth. After finishing up in the bathroom she walked out and straight towards the kitchen.

"Hey El, you want a hot chocolate? I'm making one for me even if it means I have to then brush my teeth again." she said, "El?" she said again, looking over to the couch.

She walked over to the couch and a smile suddenly spread across her face that she knew she'd never be able to wipe off. Lying there fast asleep was Elliot. Lay safely in the crook of his arm, also fast asleep, was their 5 day old son Harry.

Olivia looked down at her stomach, it was more or less flat again, something she actually found herself hating, she wanted to stay feeling pregnant, or just having been pregnant for as long as she could…although she would admit it to anyone she loved been able to just stare at Harry all day long. The one thing she wouldn't miss, but she knew Elliot would, were her new set of boobs, they were huge! She was breatsfeeding Harry, she loved the closeness it gave her to her son and the bond it helped build between them. However now the boobs were just getting in the way and she had been forced to wear Elliot's t-shirts as her own were too tight and added uncomfortable pressure on her very sore boobs.

She couldn't stop thinking about how they had almost lost him before they even had him, but he had proved every Doctor wrong and had held in there and was now a very happy and healthy baby with a great appetite and an even better set of lungs on him.

After the night at the clock shop it had taken both her and Elliot a few weeks in hospital to get back up to full health, and for Olivia and an unborn Harry a few more weeks of bed rest to get perfect. Then it had been ass duty in the squad room for them whilst Elliot had partnered up with Fin and Munch.

As for Merritt he had left behind a sad trial of destruction, one none of them would ever forget but finally he was at peace. Thankfully they had all come out of it alive. The biggest miracle from it all was Harry. The craziest part was the explosives she had been fitted with were all fakes, not a single one of them had been real. It had all been part of his game. He had wanted to see just how far Elliot would go to save them.

Anyway that was then, this was now…

She wanted to leave her boys there, but the couch was old and she knew that if Elliot spent the night on it chances were he wouldn't be able to get up off it the next morning. Carefully she reached down and picked Harry up. He made a few little whimpering sounds, not wanting to leave the warmth and protection of his father but upon realizing he was now in his mothers warm and safe arms he quickly drifted back off to sleep as he nuzzled his face agaisnt her breast. She kissed his head and gently stroked his back comforting him all the more.

She gently nudged Elliot and he woke up and quickly shot a look at his now empty and slightly cold arm.

"Relax. I got him." she said to him.

Seeing Harry safe he slowly pushed himself up. He stretched as he stood up. Olivia just stood there watching him as she softly swayed with Harry, sending him into an even deeper sleep.

Elliot placed his hand on the back of her head and held it as he placed a loving kiss on her lips. Something he now made sure to do as often as he could every day. Never again would he regret never having kissed her properly.

He then kissed Harry's head, stroking his head of thick brown hair, just like his mothers. He had his father's big blue eyes, his mother's nose and naturally tanned complexion and his own little chin. He was perfect in everyway.

"I'll be in in a minute." Elliot said before walking off to the bathroom.

Olivia walked into the bedroom. She walked over to Harry's cot but she couldn't bring herself to put him in it. Instead she walked over to the bed and climbed in, placing Harry down next to her. She fell asleep stroking the bridge of his little nose, something she had done since the moment he was born. It was the only thing that would settle him when he was crying.

When Elliot walked into the bedroom, the sight in front of him made his stop and stare and smile. Olivia was sound asleep and Harry lay sleeping next to her, holding tightly onto her finger. He walked over to the bed, already in the sweatpants he would be sleeping in. He couldn't bring himself to separate them, his favorite couple, so he just slipped silently into bed and place his arm over the both of them before joining them in sleep.

No longer did either of them have nightmares about Merritt Rook and his sick and very twisted games, they just thought about the future they had ahead of them with their new son. A life that wouldn't involve Merritt's mind games.

**The End**

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